I have lived most of my life in Orange County, California. It is a sunny, beautiful place to grow up and yet as a young child I struggled with the pressure to adhere to proper behavior. At seven-years-old, my aunt Elaine convinced me it was okay to color a tree purple. This moment became the liberation of my artistic self and, at the same time, forged a whimsical connection with nature. Inspired by my fantasy drawings, I fell in love with the art of writing and telling stories. Favorite titles of my early works include The Floating Bed and The Runaway Hamburger. At the age of more...
